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UC-NRLF 


GIFT  OF 
Harry  East  Miller 


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A  VOCABULARY 


FOR 


YOUNG  FATHERS 


BY 

O.  N.  E. 

[Compounded  and  compiled  after  the  most  careful  researches  into 

the  psychology  governing  the  telepathic  interpretation 

of  infantile  intelligence.] 

Illustrations  from  life  by 

ESTHER  P.  HILL 


NEW  YORK 

DODGE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

214=220  EAST  230  STREET 

t  c.  \c\  o  f 


Copyright,  1908,  by  Dodge  Publishing  Co. 
[VOCABULARY    6] 


CAST 


A      VOCABULARY      FOR 
YOUNG      FATHERS 

IT  has  often  occurred  to  me,  and  I 
dare  say  it  has  occurred  to  many 
other  young  fathers,  that  in  this  age 
of  the  making  of  many  books  the 
most  crying  need  has  been  strangely 
overlooked. 

Where  in  the  lengthy  lists  of 
Books  of  the  Hour",  can  one  find  a 
guide  for  the  illumination  of  the 
understanding  of  mere  man  as  to  the 
meaning  of  the  uncouth  and  cryptic 
utterances  of  his  infant  offspring? 

Mothers   have    no  need    of  this 

[7] 

M81818 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  *          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUNG  FATHERS 


assistance.  Nature  seems  to  have  pro- 
vided them — and  indeed,  grand- 
mothers, aunts,  nurses  and  other 
females,  as  well — with  an  instructive 
bibliography  on  this  subject,  by  which 
they  interpret  fearlessly  and  instan- 
taneously the  gummy  outpourings  of 
infantile  intelligence. 

Feeling  that  light  on  this  re- 
condite subject  will  be  widely  appre- 
ciated and  that  its  popularity  will  at 
once  place  it  at  the  head  of  the  "  Six 
Best  Sellers,"  the  author  has  under- 
taken to  compile  a  number  of  the 
simpler  and  more  common  phrases 
and  their  meanings ;  and  cheerfully 
dedicates  this  effort  to  the  inexperi- 
enced of  his  kind. 

[9] 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUNG  FATHERS 


GOO.  This  is  usually  the  first 
word  attempted  and  the  meaning  de- 
pends largely  upon  the  inflection,  the 
time  uttered  and  the  persons  present. 
(a)  If  delivered  with  a  smile  and  a 
gurgling  accent  after  eating,  is  an  ex- 
pression ^{content.  (b)  Attended  by 
persistent  closing  of  eyelids  denotes  a 
desire  for  slumber,  (c)  If  accent  seems 
dry  and  throaty,  with  note  of  impa- 
tience, denotes  hunger.  (Fathers  who 
are  left  in  charge  should  note  the  in- 
flection carefully,  as  an  upward 
choking  inflection,  accompanied 
by  a  strained  look  about  the  eyes, 
invariably  indicates  a  desire  to 
relieve  an  overcharged  meal  ticket. 
Inattention  to  this  shade  of  meaning 


A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR 
YOUN&  FATHERS 


results  in  the  purchase  of  a  new  suit.) 
Must  not  be  confounded  with 

AH-GOO,  which  is  strictly  a 
word  of  greeting  and  bestowed  ex- 
clusively on  mothers,  grandmothers, 
aunts,  nurses  and  other  females. 


[13] 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUNG  FATHERS 


MA-MA.  This  is  also  one  of 
the  first  words  used  and  is  considered 
a  sign  of  most  remarkable  intelli- 
gence, (a)  Usually  a  term  of  endear- 
ment)  applied  to  mother,  grand- 
mother, aunt,  nurse  or  other  females. 
(b)  Sometimes  indicates  contentment, 
pleasure,  hunger  or  physical  discom- 
fort. 

Must  not  be    confounded   with 


[15] 


A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR 
YOUNG  FATHERS 


DA-DA,  which  is  confined  to  a 
form  of  greeting  to  father,  to  dogs  or 
to  the  nursing  bottle. 


[17] 


-A  «          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUN&  FATHERS 


BOO.  Girl  babies  usually  add 
this  word  early  to  their  vocabulary. 
(a)  It  means  boy.  (b)  When  uttered 
by  a  boy  baby  is  interpreted  as  "bow- 
wow," or  dog.  Used  by  both  sexes 
to  ask  for  bread^  nursing  bottle  or 
baby  buggy^  to  express  appreciation  of 
the  beautiful  and  to  indicate  the  pre- 
sence of  a  pain.  (c)  It  is  also  inter- 
preted, when  uttered  with  a  playful 
inflection,  to  mean  a  desire  to  engage 
in  game  with  father ;  as  alternately 
raising  and  lowering  newspaper  and 
repeating  the  word  with  sportive  or 
pretended  force.  (d)  This  word 
also  means  book  if  the  child's  eyes  or 
hands  rest  in  the  near  or  even  remote 
vicinity  of  a  volume. 

[19] 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUNG  FATHERS 


BY-BY.  This  phrase  is  one  of 
the  most  widely  comprehensive  in  the 
whole  infant  vocabulary.  Its  mean- 
ing depends  entirely  upon  surround- 
ing circumstances.  (a)  It  sometimes 
means  a  desire  to  walk,  to  ride^  to 
accompany  a  visitor  home,  to  don  a 
cap  and  coat,  to  go  to  sleep^  or  to 
drag  a  small  cart  by  a  string.  Even 
mothers^  grandmothers,  aunts,  nurses 
and  other  females  sometimes  find 
difficulty  in  determining  the  meaning 
of  this  utterance,  (b)  Accompanied 
by  waving  of  hands  means  «  fare- 
well." (c)  Sometimes  the  whole 
range  of  definitions  is  tried  without 
satisfying  the  infant,  thus  proving  that 

[21] 


FOR  YOUNG 
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A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUN&  FATHERS 


this  term  is    not    yet   clearly    under- 
stood in  its  entirety. 

BAY-BAY.  Baby, Biscuit.  Where 
the  child  is  allowed  to  suck  a  strip  of 
bacon  attached  to  cord  around  its 
neck,  indicates  a  desire  for  the  tid-bit. 


[23] 


A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR 
Y«  FATHERS 


NAN-NAN.  May  mean  grand- 
mother^ aunty  nurse  or  any  female  ex- 
cept mother. 


[25] 


FOR  YOUNG 
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A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUNG  FATHERS 


WAW-WAW.  Water.  Usually 
a  nocturnal  expression,  seeming  to  be 
especially  suited  to  the  hours  of  three 
to  five  A.  M.  This  night-thirst  is  one 
of  the  most  mysterious  demands  of 
complex  nature  and  has  been  the 
subject  of  much  discussion,  the  con- 
census of  opinion  among  fathers  — 
many  of  them  eminent  scientific 
authorities  -  -  regarding  it  as  a  mere 
habit,  while  mothers,  grandmothers, 
aunts,  nurses  and  other  females  invar- 
iably insist  that  it  is  a  firmly-fixed 
principle  of  child  nature,  which  it  would 
be  cruel  to  eradicate  by  disciplinary 
methods.  It  may  be  well  to  note  that 
it  is  advisable,  when  complying  with 
request  for  drink,  to  maintain  strict 

[27] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUN&  FATHERS 


watch  on  cup  and  contents,  as  a  few 
drops  on  infant's  person  at  this  time 
results,  with  startling  quickness,  in  a 
croupy  cough. 

Often  confounded  with 

WAW,  which  is  a  convivial  form 
of  greeting,  conforming  to  our  "hello/' 

Must  not  be  confounded  with 

WOW,  which  expresses  pain, 
surprise,  remorse  or  disgust,  according 
to  emphasis  or  inflection. 


[29] 


A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUNG  FATHERS 


PIT-TEE.  The  acquirement  of 
this  word  marks  an  advance  in  brain 
power  and  cunning.  It  is  usually 
pronounced  with  a  guileless  look  and 
an  expression  of  gleeful  enthusiasm, 
the  hands  outstretched  confidingly 
toward  some  cherished  but  fragile  ob- 
ject of  art.  If  allowed  to  grasp  the 
article,  the  infant  gazes  upon  it  for  one 
fleeting  moment  then  swiftly  dashes 
it  to  the  floor  and  as  earnestly  as 
before  requests  something  else. 


[31] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YODN&  FATHERS 


UNH-UNH.  This  expression  has 
two  distinct  significations.  (a)  If 
uttered  while  in  charge  of  mother, 
grandmother,  aunt,  nurse  or  other 
female  denotes  a  wish  to  partake  of 
a  repast,  but  (b)  if  in  father's  care  that 
said  parent's  thumbs,  elbows,  knees, 
coat-buttons  or  other  appurtenances 
are  in  too  close  proximity  to  certain 
portions  of  infant  anatomy  peculiarly 
susceptible  to  such  pressure.  Young 
fathers  are  exhorted  to  exercise  par- 
ticular watchfulness  in  this  regard,  as 
carelessness,  or  ignorance,  results  in 
bruises,  welts,  contusions,  which,  while 
invisible  to  masculine  eyes,  are  pro- 
nounced by  mothers,  grandmothers, 

[33] 


A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR 
YOUN&  FATHERS 


aunts,  nurses  or  other  females  to  be 
the  greatest  torture  to  the  tender  in- 
fant constitution. 


\ 

[35] 


A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUN&  FATHERS 


POO.  Does  not,  as  some  may 
suppose,  indicate  contempt  or  impa- 
tience. Is  a  request  for  spoon  or 
other  article,  which,  if  pounded  inside 
of  crib  or  chair,  will  produce  noise. 
Is  frequently  uttered  at  night,  im- 
mediately after  requests  for  water  and 
food  have  been  complied  with.  There 
is  no  rule  known  to  fathers  for  the 
controlling  of  the  granting  or  refusing 
of  this  demand.  Mothers,  grand- 
mothers, aunts,  nurses  and  other 
females  hold  a  special  sitting  of  court 
each  time,  weighing  actuating  motives, 
mitigating  circumstances,  probable 
consequences  and  similar  considera- 
tions, generally  giving  verdict  in  favor 
of  compliance. 

[37] 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUNG  FATHERS 


BLUB-BLUB.  One  of  the  most 
striking  phrases  in  the  infantile  vocab- 
ulary. Is  accompanied  by  blowing 
of  small  bubbles  between  lips  and 
is  instantaneously  followed  by  violent 
ejections  of  the  food  last  partaken  of. 
So  far  as  is  known,  no  father  has  yet 
been  able  to  interpret  the  bubbling 
phenomenon  quickly  enough  to  avoid 
disaster  to  clothes,  carpets,  curtains 
and  furniture  within  a  radius  of  six 
feet,  but  it  is  hoped  that  a  close  study 
and  faithful  application  of  the  defini- 
tions here  set  forth  will  lead  to  ultimate 
dexterity  in  the  interpretation  of  this 
call.  In  this  connection  it  may  be 
noted,  as  an  instance  of  sex  superiority, 
that  mothers,  grandmothers,  aunts, 

[39] 


FOR  YOUNG 
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A 

VOCABULARY 


FOR 
YOUN&  FATHERS 


no 


nurses   and   other    females    find 
difficulty  in   diverting   the   aforemen- 
tioned  outpouring  into  safe  channels. 


[41] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J   YODN&  FATHERS 


YUM.  The  first  hearing  of  this 
word  by  inexperienced  fathers  is  apt 
to  recall  tender  sentiments  of  the  days 
of  ardent  courtship,  but  further 
observation  will  develop  the  fact  that 
this  word,  as  an  infanticism,  is  merely 
an  expression  of  animal  satisfaction, 
and  ordinarily  follows  the  relinquish- 
ing of  a  semi-yielding  substance,  as  a 
rubber  nipple.  This  sound  resembles 
the  pop  of  a  puckered  rose  leaf  on 
the  forehead. 


[43] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J  YODN&  FATHERS 


BED  or  BET.  Usually  uttered 
in  an  imperative  tone  and  reiterated, 
with  increasing  emphasis,  until  after 
a  trial  of  every  bed  in  the  house, 
ringing  all  the  bells,  collecting  all  the 
belts,  and  finding  none  of  these  suc- 
cessful in  reducing  the  violence  of 
the  demand,  the  bread  box  is  acciden- 
tally stumbled  upon. 


A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUNG  FATHERS 


DAM.  At  the  risk  of  shocking 
some  mothers,  grandmothers,  aunts, 
nurses  and  other  females,  this  word 
is  included  in  this  aid  to  paternal 
understanding,  owing  to  its  simplicity, 
it  is  caught  by  the  infant  mind  with 
astonishing  ease  and  retained  and  used 
with  marvelous  faithfulness.  It  is 
generally  the  first  word  of  unadulter- 
ated, every  day  form  used  by  a  child 
left  much  in  its  father's  care. 


[47] 


FOR  YOUNG 
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A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J  YOUN&  FATHERS 


DAM-PA.  An  alarming  word, 
whose  suspiciousness  is  only  allayed 
by  the  pointing  of  finger  or  other 
unequivocal  corroboratory  action  in 
direction  of  grandfather. 


[49] 


FOR  YOUNG 
FATHERS 


A  p          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUNG  FATHERS 


It  is  hoped  that  the  exposition 
of  these  few  words  may  shed  light  on 
the  path  of  some  few  young  fathers  with 
intelligence  and  application  sufficient 
to  grasp  their  intricacies.  A  sub- 
sequent treatise  will  discourse  of 
phrase  combinations  and  whole  sen- 
tences, tracing  their  derivations  to 
archaic  and  obsolete  roots. 


I  51 


ADDENDA. 

Although  this  Vocabulary  has 
very  nearly  covered  the  range  of  in- 
fantile utterances,  the  young  father 
who  has  mastered  its  contents  must 
not  suppose  himself  completely 
equipped  for  the  proper  care  of  his 
offspring.  There  are  numberless  ex- 
pressions of  countenance,  which,  to 
a  mere  man,  seem  on  the  surface  to  be 
plain  indications  of  certain  mental 
states,  according  to  the  verdict  of 
mothers,  grandmothers,  aunts,  nurses 
and  other  females,  are  mere  heiro- 
glyphics,  whose  manifest  form  has  no 
bearing  on  their  spiritual  interpreta- 
tions. 

Two  courses  are  open  to  fathers 

[52] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J   YOUN&  FATHERS 


who  would  rank  high  in  domestic 
training — either  a  long,  appreciative 
study  of  the  symbols  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  one  of  the  aforementioned 
interpreters,  or  the  committing  to 
memory  by  rote  a  few  of  those  rules 
which  operate  by  the  law  of  opposites. 
Heading  this  list  is  the  prolonged 
wail  accompanied  by  contortions  of 
countenance  expressive  of  the  extrem- 
est  anguish  of  mind  or  body.  As 
it  is  difficult  for  a  father  to  search  for 
pins  or  the  seat  of  pain  in  a  squirm- 
ing anatomy,  it  is  a  relief  to  know 
that  neither  dandling  nor  petting  is 
required  to  relieve  this  situation. 
Merely  lay  aside  everything  that  per- 
tains or  is  conducive  to  personal 

[53] 


comfort  or  pleasure  and  take  the 
child  outdoors  for  a  prolonged  outing 
in  directions  which  he  will  indicate. 
The  air,  the  dirt,  the  birds,  the 
neighbors  and  even  strangers  are  full 
of  interest  to  the  little  chap  and  a 
few  hours  of  such  diversion,  unless 
hunger  intervenes,  will  soothe  him 
into  angelic  slumber.  There  are 
many  minor  desyllabized  requests, 
such  as  fretting,  crawling  into  fire- 
place, overturning  work-basket,  etc., 
which  are  translated  by  mothers, 
grandmothers,  aunts,  nurses  and  other 
females  as  "  Bay-bay  want  to  go  by-by 
with  Daddy." 

A  smacking  of  lips  indulged    in 
during    slumber   need    not    be    inter- 

[54] 


A  p          FOB 

VOCABULARY  J   YODN&  FATHERS 


preted  as  imitative  of  paternal  flirta- 
tions. Neither  need  you  exert  yourself 
to  search  the  medicine  closet — merely 
lift  infant  and  place  in  close  proxim- 
ity to  mother  and  you  will  find  that, 
while  the  sounds  seem  to  increase  for 
a  period,  they  will  soon  subside  into 
peaceful-long-drawn  breathing. 

There  is  no  more  appalling 
ethnicism  than  complete  silence.  A 
calm,  serene  face,  a  soul-searching 
gravity  of  gaze,  unaccompanied  by 
motion  of  any  nature,  strike  terror  to 
the  ordinary  understanding.  A  close 
comparison  of  cause  and  effect,  how- 
ever, will  show  these  to  be  nothing 
more  than  the  sign  of  a  full  stomach. 
No  attempt  has  been  made  to  inter- 

[55] 


pret  the  continuous  and  monotonous 
babbling  which  even  mothers,  grand- 
mothers, aunts,  nurses  and  other 
females  admit  to  be  a  mere  hereditary 
potentiality,  shadowing  the  talking 


instinct. 


-A  *          FOR 

VOCABULARY  J  Y«  FATHERS 


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